Aerial toy



June 15, 1943 T. R. FRAZIE R AERIAL TOY Filed Jan. 30, 1945 INVENTOR. TROY R. FRAZIER Patented June 15, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AERIAL TOY Troy R. Frazier, C'ovington, Ky. Application January 30, 1943, Serial No. 474,081

Claims.

- a toy parachutist having a parachute pack attached to its back, and wherein the contents of said parachute pack are adapted to be automatically liberated incident to descent of the para chutist, whereby it will float gently to the ground suspended from the parachute initially housed within the parachute pack.

, Another object of the invention is to provide an aerial toy having the hereinabove described characteristics which is structurally strong, yet which may nevertheless be economically manufactured at a low cost using modern mass production methods.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the aerial toy of the present invention descending, and supported from a parachute.

Fig. 2 is a side View of the aerial toy of Fig. 1 in position for projection upwardly into the air.

Fig. 3 is a view looking down upon the top of the toy showing the relationship between the movable arms and the side panels of the parachute pack, wherein the arms are in a raised, parachute pack engaging position.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the arms in a lowered position out of engagement with the parachute pack, and wherein said pack is in a fully opened, parachute ejecting position.

The device comprises, broadly speaking an elongated body portion Il], preferably formed so as to resemble a'parachutist having a head II, a torso l2, and a leg portion l3. If desired, said body portion may be fabricated from any suitable material, such as by way of example, wood, plastics, papier-mach, metal, ceramics, or the like. A weighted member l4 may be secured to the free lower end of leg portion 13, said weighted memher having suflicient mass so that the body portion will move, at all times, through the air feet foremost, as illustrated in Fig. l or 2.

A pair of arms l5 may be pivotally mounted relative to torso l2 or pivot pins 16 which may be embedded in and project from the torso. The free end of each arm, remote from pivot pins 16, is preferably weighted by means of weights indicated generally by the numeral ll. Weights I! may be shaped to resemble a clenched fist, an open hand, or the like, and if desired said weights may include an aperture l8 therethrough.

A parachute pack or housing, denoted generally by the numeral 20, is secured to theback portion of torso 12 by means of hinge members 2i of Figs. 3 and 4. Parachute pack or housing 29 may comprise a pair of similar complementary, L-shaped door members 22, each of which comprises a rear panel 23 and an end panel 24. The free edges of end panels 24 engage hinges 2!, whereas the free ends of rear panels 23 are adapted to be positioned adjacent one another, as disclosed in Fig. 3 or widely separated from each other as disclosed in Fig. 4. The door members may be fabricated from light metal, wood, papier-mach, plastics, or any other substances adapted to retain a given shape.

When door members 22 are closed, Fig. 3, rear panels 23 will be disposed in substantial parallelism with rear wall 30 of torso 12 whereby a four sided compartment or housing will be formed.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention door members 22 are adapted to be maintained in the closed, compartment forming position of Fig. 3 by means of contact between arms l5 and end panels 24. arms l5 thus engage end panels 24 the relative position of arms IE to the parachute pack 20 will be as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. In order to make certain that the door members will be opened concurrently with the movement of arms 15 from the raised position indicated in Fig. 2 to the lowered position indicated in Fig. l a, length of cord, wire, or the like may be provided between weighted member I! of the arm members and that edge of end panels 24 remote from hinges 2!. In the drawing, such a connector member is indicated by the numeral 40.

In operation the device functions as follows: A suitable parachute 4| including shroud lines 42 is folded into a compact bundle, and placed within the parachute pack defined by wall 30, and door panels 23 and 24 of Fig. 3 The free ends of the shroud lines 42 are secured to a ring, or other retaining member 43 embedded in the head portion ll of the parachutist. Arm I5 is swung to the position indicated in Fig. 2 whereby to engage end panels 24. The toy is now ready to be projected into the air by any suitable means. After the toy has reached the top of its upward travel,

During those periods of time when gravity will act upon weighted member M whereupon the toy will turn over end for end, thereby assuming the relative position indicated at Fig. l. Weighted members I! Will be attracted by gravity and move downwardly to a position in vertical alignment with weight #4 thereby moving arms IE to the lowered position indicated in Fig. 1. As arms l5 are moved to a lowered position they disengage their respective end panels 24 of the parachute pack whereby door member 22 will be free to open to the position disclosed in Fig. 4. By providing connector member 49 between weighted member I! and the hinge remote edge of their respective end panels, the door members will be subjected to a positive opening force as arms I5 are moving to a lowered position. Parachute 4l thus freed, will be rapidly filled with air and the parachute toy will float gently to the ground suspended therefrom.

It will be observed that the instant device does not utilize or embody complicated latch members, nor are resilient spring members used for actuating the door panels, thereby providing a toy having widespread appeal for children.

Parachute 4i when compacted into the housing provided when doors 22 are in the closed positions indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, will exert an opening force or effect on said doors whereby to assure positive opening thereof incident to the lowering of arms l5 to the position indicated in Figs. 1 and 4.

In some instances it may be desirable to fabricate the instant toy wherein but one arm is movable, in which eventbut one of the two doors would be hingedly secured to rear wall 3i! of the body portion.

Various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An aerial toy comprising in combination, an elongated body portion including spaced sides and a rear wall, a weight secured to one end of said body portion for locating said weighted end foremost incident to the travel of said toy through the air, a pair of doors hingedly secured to said back wall, said doors when in a closed position providing. an elongated housing concealing said rear wall, said doors when in an open position exposing said rear wall, a pair of arm members pivotally secured to said body portion remote from the weighted end thereof, said arms movable to a door engaging position for maintaining said doors in a closed position, and to a position out of engagement therewith, a weight secured to the free end of said arms, said arms adapted to be maintained in a door engaging position incident to upward travel of the toy through the air, said arms adapted to be swung out of a door engaging position incident to the start of downward travel of the toy, and means interconnecting each arm with an adjacent door, said means being operative upon movement of the arms away from a door engaging position for exerting an opening force on said doors.

2. An aerial toy comprising in combination, an elongated body portion one end of which is weighted, a pair of arm members pivotally secured to said body portion remote from said weighted end, the free ends of said arm members being weighted for disposing them in substantial alignment with the length dimension of said iii) body portion during those periods of time when the weighted end of the body portion is located below the arms, a parachute pack secured to the back of said body portion between said arms, said pack comprising a pair of L-shaped doors hingedly secured to the body portion, said doors when in a closed position forming a three sided housing extending from and concealing the back of said body portion, said doors when opened exposing the back of said body portion, said arms movable out of alignment with the length dimension of the body portion into engagement with .said doors for releasably maintaining them in closed position during those periods of time when the weighted end of the body portion is located above said arms, a parachute receivable within said housing, said parachute adapted to be released incident to the opening of said doors in response to movement of the arms from a door engaging position into alignment with the length dimension of the body portion of the toy.

3. An aerial toy comprising in combination, an elongated body portion one .end of which is weighted, a pair of arm members pivotally se-' cured to said body portion remote from said weighted end, the free ends of said arm members being weighted for disposing them in substantial alignment with the length dimension of said body portion during those periods of time when the weighted end of the bodyportion is located below the arms, a parachute pack secured to the back of said body portion between said arms, said pack comprising a pair of L-shaped doors hingedly secured to the back of the body portion, said doors when in a closed position forming a three sided housing spaced from said body portion, said doors when opened exposing the back of said body portion, said arms movable out of alignment with the length dimension of the body portion into engagement with said doors for releasably maintaining them in closed position during those periods of time when the weighted end of the body portion is located above said arms, said doors adapted to be opened in response to movement of the arms from a door engaging position into a position in alignment with the length dimension of the body portion of said toy incident to turning of said body portion end for end for locating the weighted end of the body portion below said arms.

4. An aerial toy in the form of a parachutist comprising in combination, an elongated body portion including spaced sides and a rear wall, an arm member pivotally secured to each side wall, an L-shaped door member hingedly secured to opposite sides -of said rear wall, said door members adapted to be disposed in one or the other of two normal positions, one in closed relationship wherein said members cooperate to form a substantially rectangular housing to the rear of said rear wall, the other in an open relationship wherein said members are swung apart for exposing said rear Wall, said arm members mounted for movement to a position in engagement with their adjacent door members for releasably retaining said members in closed relationship and to a position out of engagement with said door members, and a weight secured to and carried by the free end of said arm members for moving said arms out of a door engaging position incident to the turning of said body portion end for end.

5. An aerial toy comprising in combination,

an elongated body portion one end of which is weighted, a pair of arm members pivotally secured to said body portion remote from said weighted end, the free ends of said arm members being weighted for disposing them in substantial alignment with the length dimension of said body portion during those periods of time when the weighted end of the body portion is located below the arms, a parachute pack secured to the back of said body portion between said arms, said pack comprising a pair of .L-shaped doors hingedly secured to the body portion, said doors when in a closed position forming a three sided housing extending from and concealing the back of said body portion, said doors when opened exposing the back of said body portion, said arms movable out of alignment with the length dimension ofthe body portion into engagement with said doors for releasably maintaining them in closed position during those periods of time when the weighted end of the body portion is located above said arms, a parachute including shroud lines receivable within said housing, means securing the free end of said shroud lines to that end of the body portion remote from the weighted end, said parachute adapted to be released incident to the opening of said doors in response to movement of the arms from a door engaging position into alignment with the length dimension of the body portion of the toy as the weighted end thereof moves from a position above to a position below said arms, said toy adapted to be suspended from said released parachute.

TROY R. FRAZIER. 

